Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Official Report 819KB pdf

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Motion

The next item of business is consideration of Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body motion S5M-21271, on the reimbursement of members’ expenses scheme. I ask Andy Wightman, on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, to speak to and move the motion.

Thank you, Presiding Officer. The motion has been lodged on behalf of the SPCB. We announced last week that, in order to provide members with as much flexibility as possible in the light of the impact of the coronavirus, we would make changes to the arrangements for employing temporary staff cover. This amendment to the reimbursement of members’ expenses scheme allows the SPCB to do that.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 81(2) and (5)(b) and 83(5) of the Scotland Act 1998, determines that the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme, which was agreed to by resolution of the Parliament on 12 June 2008 and last amended by resolution of the Parliament on 15 March 2016, be amended to insert at the end of paragraph 3.4.1 In exceptional circumstances the SPCB may reduce or suspend the qualifying period of absence and suspend the requirement in paragraph 3.4.2 for adequate medical certificates or other relevant documents.—[Andy Wightman]

The question will be put at decision time.